COVID-19 had a serious impact on puroresu, and some proof of that is a 24% pay cut that NJPW star Tetsuya Naito accepted to re-sign with the company according to Tokyo Sports.
“Due to the influence of COVID-19, the audience is decreasing, and I was expected to offer a salary cut, but I didn’t expect this much… Even I got nervous about this. When I saw the amount offered, I literally opened my right eye with my thumb and index finger. Next year, I want to take advantage of a higher salary than this cut. After all, it means that even if Okada won the G1, there was no rain of money in New Japan. If this happens, I have no choice but to make it come down on my own” said Naito on the news.
One of the most popular wrestlers of NJPW over the last decade, Naito will challenge Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on February 20th.
H/T to Fightful for the transcription.
